Thy Art Is Murder – Hate

  Albeit the death-core genre wouldn’t normally be one’s preferred choice in the world of Metal and having not heard previously of Thy Art is Murder, an open mind was needed before attempting to write this review. Needless to say if you like your technical, fast-paced death metal, incorporated with …

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Gloria Morti – ‘Lateral Constraint’

Right from the outset, this fourth album from Finnish thrash metal five piece Gloria Morti is a bruising, punishing affair, treading a path between thrash and death metal, with elements of BM thrown in for good measure. It’s not that the band can’t make up their mind which sub-genre they …

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Patria – ‘Nihil Est Monastica’

This fifth album from the Brazilian duo of Mantus and Triumphsword is very much an homage to the traditional values of late ‘80s / early ‘90s black metal.  And it carries no pretensions about being otherwise. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-GRCarR-JE] Each of the 12 tracks (the titular opener is very much a cinematic-style …

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Visions of Atlantis interview, 25th March 2013

I spoke to Martin Harb, keyboard player and main songwriter for Visions of Atlantis shortly before they played at the Boston music rooms in London with Serenity and Souldrinker to talk about their brand new album, Ethera which had been released on Napalm records that day, their upcoming appearance at …

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Serenity interview – 25th March 2013

I spoke to Clémentine Delauney, singer with Serenity shortly before the band performed on stage at the Boston music rooms in London to talk about their new album, War of Ages, which had been released on Napalm records that morning.   Serenity Interview with Ant May of Planetmosh

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Finntroll – Interview with Mathias (vreth)

Following the release of their new album Blodsvept, I spoke to Mathias from Finntroll about the new album and their upcoming European tour starting,  with some random questions thrown in for good measure. Finntroll will be playing at the Underworld in Camden on 13th May so go onto the venue’s website and …

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FM, It Bites and Vega Academy 2 Review 21.03.13

  The AOR night begins with Vega. It has been almost two years since I last saw them at AOR Firefest in Nottingham Rock City. Vega opened with “Kiss of Life” from their debut album, noted as an AOR masterpiece. They captured an great 80’s feel with crowd pleasing songs …

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Killswitch Engage – Disarm the Descent

Sometimes, a much-loved and highly successful band needs to shake things up a bit to keep things fresh and interesting for their fans and for themselves, all the while retaining the signature sonic hallmarks that have defined their sound. For their upcoming sixth album, Massachusetts metal pioneers Killswitch Engage reunited …

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Flotsam And Jetsam – Ugly Noise

Flotsam And Jetsam are stalwarts in the thrash metal sub-genre, having formed under the direction of drummer Kelly David-Smith in the very early 1980’s. These Phoenix ‘bangers hardly need introduction. This was, at one point in time, a crowd-financed album, and the quality of the output seems to be a …

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Mia Klose interview

I spoke to Mia Klose recently and asked her a few questions about her music and upcoming shows including Hard Rock Hell AOR, NLC/RACPA festival and Sweden Rocks Festival. First of all, for anyone who hasnt listened to you before, how would you describe your music? It’s 80s inspired classic …

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RUSSKAJA – ENERGIA

Russkaja are a “Russian Turbo Polka Metal” band from Austria. Their style is a mix of Balkan Metal, Polka and a little bit thrash metal.  Their most famous song is ‘Psycho Traktor’  and always welcomed on festivals e.g. the Wacken Open Air. The upcoming album is called “Energia!” and will …

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Wounds – ‘Die Young’

If ever an album title was appropriate, it is this one from this young Dublin hardcore quartet.  Just like the band’s previous EP, ‘Dead Dead Fucking Dead’, the album is somewhat of a cathartic experience, dealing as it does with the band’s recovery after vocalist Aidan Coogan almost died in …

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Rectified Spirit – ‘Rectified Spirit’

As the world’s economic axis turns in upon itself, switching its power base from the colonialist West to the formerly subjugated and colonialized east, could it be argued that the crux of the metal world is about to shift in the same direction? Over recent years, the encroachment of acts …

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